Wrongfully Consuming an Orphan’s Property (Part 2)
Wrongfully Consuming an Orphan’s Property (Part 1)
One of the early Muslims recounted, “I was at first used to committing sins and drinking wine. Then, one day, I received a poor orphan. I was kind to him; I fed him, bathed him, and clothed him. I treated him as tenderly as a man does with his own son and more. Afterwards, I went to sleep. I dreamt that it was the day of Judgement and I was called for reckoning. Then, I was to go to Hell for my sins. I was dragged by the angels of punishment to the Fire. Meanwhile, when I was being dragged to the Fire, the orphan blocked me and said, ‘O angels of my Lord, let him go. So as to intercede for him before Allah since he treated me kindly and honored me.’ But the angels said, ‘We were not commanded to do so.’ Then came the call of Allah, “Let him go. I forgave him because of the orphan’s intercession and the kind treatment he showed him. Then, I got up and repented to Allah the High Exalted. Later on, I kept on doing my best to show mercy to orphans.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The best of the houses is that which contains an orphan who is treated kindly, and the worst of the houses is that which mistreats him. The most beloved one to Allah the Almighty is the one who offers a favor to an orphan or a widow.” (Reported by Ibn Majah)
“Allah revealed to Dawud (peace be upon him): “O Dawud! Be a loving father to the orphan, and a kind husband to the widow. Put into your account that the more you do, the more you reap (Reported by Ibn Hajar Al-Haithami in Majma’ AI-Zawa’id)
This means that whatever you do, you will find its consequences thereafter. For example, when you die and leave a child or a widow, they will be treated in the same manner you treated others.
In his soliloquy, Dawud says, “O Allah! What is the recompense of whoever takes care of an orphan or a widow for Your Sake?” Allah answered, “He will be under the Shade of Mine when there will be no shade except Mine.” i.e., the shade of the Throne on the Day of Judgement.”
The following is another account that highlights the excellence of treating the orphan and the widow kindly. Once there was someone who belonged to the ‘Alowiyyin sect. He lived in Balkh (a Byzantine region) and had a wife and several daughters. They were living in luxury and prosperity. Then the husband died. His widow and daughters became so poor that they moved to another town to flee from the ghost of noticing their enemies rejoicing at her misfortune. Having entered the town, she resorted to a deserted mosque with her daughters. Then, she went out to bring them something to eat. She passed by two people, a Muslim and a Magian.
She started by asking the Muslim and explained to him how she suffered a lot while she was an honored woman from the ‘Alawyyeen sect. But he asked her to show evidence. She said she was a stranger. But he did not pay attention to her. Then, she left feeling sad and again explained her case to Magian and how she had four daughters who were orphans and in need. She recounted her story to a Muslim Sheikh.
The magian sent his ladies to bring her and her daughters home. He fed them and clothed them well. They stayed with him in luxury and honor. At midnight, the Muslim who turned the woman away dreamt that it was the Day of Judgement. A banner was raised over the Prophet’s head. There was a palace of green emerald whose windows were of pearls and corundum, and it also had domes of pearls and corals. He then asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): “Whose palace is it?” For a Muslim who believes in Allah, the One.’ O Allah’s Messenger, I am a Muslim, the man said. But the prophet asked him to show the evidence that he was a Muslim.
The man was perplexed. Accordingly, the prophet said, “When the ‘Alawiyya woman asked you, you asked her to show evidence that she was Alawiy. Thus, show me evidence that you are Muslim. Then, the man got up sadly to repel the woman. He started to search for her in the town until he found her in the Magian’s house. He asked him about the woman and her daughters, but the Magian refused and said many blessings were showered upon him because of them.
The man persisted in taking them and even offered the Magian a thousand dinars, but he refused again. The Muslim said but I should take them. Then, the Magian said, what you want is mine, and the palace which you saw in your dream was created for me. May you guide me to embrace Islam? By Allah, I did not sleep yesterday before my family, and I embraced Islam at the hands of the woman. I also had the same dream. The Prophet asked me, “Were the ‘Alawiy woman and her daughters in your house?” I said ‘yes’, Messenger of Allah? He, then, said, the palace is for you, and your family, and all of you will enter Paradise. You were created a Muslim from the beginning of the creation. Then, the Muslim went away sadly.
Behold! How Allah blesses those who treat widows and orphans tenderly in this world. “He who works hard on behalf of old women and the indigent is like a Mujahid (a warrior) in the cause of Allah, and the narrator thinks, he (peace be upon him) added, “and like the person standing in prayer and who never tires, and like one who observes the fast and does not break it.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
by Imam Shamsu ed-Deen Dhahabi